Autonomous submersible device for algae growth and collection
AssigneeExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company
InventorsAnjaneya S Kovvali, Everett J O'Neal, Patrick L Hanks, Mark A Deimund, Vinit Choudhary, Yesim Igci, Louis R Brown
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A submersible device submersible within an algae slurry contained within a pond of an algae bioreactor, the submersible device including a drive motor operable to actuate one or more driven devices that move the submersible device within the pond, a circulation device operable to circulate the algae slurry through the submersible device and discharge the algae slurry back into the pond from a discharge port provided on the submersible device, and a computer system that controls operation of the drive motor and the circulation device.
Claims17
An algae bioreactor, comprising:
- a pond that contains an algae slurry comprising at least water and algae;
- a submersible device submersible within the algae slurry and including:
- a drive motor operable to actuate one or more driven devices that move the submersible device within the pond;
- a circulation device operable to circulate the algae slurry through the submersible device and discharge the algae slurry back into the pond from a discharge port provided on the submersible device;
- a computer system configured to control operation of the drive motor and the circulation device;
- a sensor in communication with the computer system and configured to measure a nutrient level in the algae slurry;
- and
- a nutrient storage container storing nutrients configured to promote growth of the algae in the pond, wherein the nutrient storage container is in communication with the computer system, and the computer system is configured to determine nutrients to be distributed into the pond in response to the nutrient level.
A method, comprising:
- placing a submersible device within an algae slurry contained within a pond of an algae bioreactor, the submersible device including:
- a drive motor operable to actuate one or more driven devices that move the submersible device within the pond;
- a circulation device operable to circulate the algae slurry through the submersible device and discharge the algae slurry back into the pond from a discharge port provided on the submersible device;
- a computer system configured to control operation of the drive motor and the circulation device;
- a sensor in communication with the computer system and configured to measure a nutrient level in the algae slurry;
- and
- a nutrient storage container storing nutrients configured to promote growth of the algae in the pond, wherein the nutrient storage container is in communication with the computer system, and the computer system is configured to determine nutrients to be distributed into the pond in response to the nutrient level;
- operating the drive motor to actuate one or more driven devices and thereby moving the submersible device within the pond;
- circulating the algae slurry through the submersible device with the circulation device;
- and
- discharging the algae slurry back into the pond from the discharge port provided on the submersible device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.